About Me

This Blog focuses on a few of my favorite activities. Most notably Cycling, Amateur Radio and Target Shooting. I believe that we learn best by doing. Since I am always engaged in one project or another, the blog is the journal where I keep track of my accomplishments and ideas.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Music Review -- The Black Crowes -- Croweology

This new double cd set from the Black Crowes is a collection of songs selected from the 20 year career of the band. The set is not just another rehash of the master tapes and labeled "The Greatest Hits". The songs are stripped down and performed acoustically in the earthy, soulful, southern style that only brothers Chris and Rich Robinson and the rest of the Crowes can deliver.

Sonic condiments that really make this a feast for the ears include fiddle, harmonica, piano, banjo, mandolin and pedal steel guitar. These traditional instruments definitely enhance the band's usual guitar driven sound.

I first heard the Black Crowes in 1991 when a buddy of mine in the Air Force played the band's original release "Shake your Money Maker". I can't believe I've been a fan now for nearly twenty years. I saw the band live a couple of times at the Spokane Opera House in Washington and in Ohio but it's been a few years. I am going to remedy that later this month. In the picture is my concert T from the 1993 tour.

Now for the kicker. My wife notified me that the cd was dropping Tuesday and as luck would have it I had planned to make a grocery run after work that day. I made a short detour to Best Buy and there it was to my surprise on sale for $7.99 a double cd no less! Kudos to Silver Arrow Records and Best Buy for what I can only see as a sure fire way to boost record sales. The promotion is in effect until August 7th. The last time I paid eight dollars for a record was when I was in high school and they came on those crappy cassette tapes.

So if you are an old Crowe fan like me or a new one or just like good acoustic rock pick this one up. It won't disappoint.

4 comments:

Nice. Just downloaded the album from iTunes directly to my iPhone. As you stated; audio is tip top. This music reminds me of my hometown. Several bands do though: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve Miller Band, Journey, Led Zeppelin, Kansas lol...

On behalf of Megaforce Records, Silver Arrow and The Black Crowes many thanks for plugging "Croweology" on your site (street date 3rd August) ... .. thanks, also, on behalf of the label, management and artist for not posting any pirate links to unreleased (studio) material and, if you / your readers want good quality, non-pirated, preview tracks, then a full length version of “My Morning Song” is available for fans and bloggers to link to / post / host etc on the band’s site at www.blackcrowes.com and a full length version of “Jealous Again” is available at www.amazon.com/Jealous-Again/dp/B003VEEOJU/ ... .. for further details of the new album, on-line promotions, videos and 2010 shows, check-out the band's official site, as well as the artist’s MySpace at www.myspace.com/theblackcrowes and the Megaforce Records YouTube page at www.youtube.com/user/MegaforceRecords ... .. and keep an eye on these official sources for details of further Black Crowes news, preview material and on-line promotions.